So a bit of my childhood, and of Los Angeles and San Fernando Valley history, is recovered. I am also reminded of the interesting street name "Talofa," which is the Samoan equivalent of Hawaiian "aloha." I'd love to know how the street got that name, but I haven't turned up anything yet.

The County sued Seemayer for the costs of dealing with the painting, and Seemayer sued the County for defacing her artwork. Both suits were dismissed, on the grounds that the cliff face was actually private property -- although one might think this could generate lawsuits in its own right. Who were the owners? Feelings seemed to run high on both sides of the issue, with a lot of people, not just County officials (in a conservative area of the County, despite Malibu nearby), unable to handle a bit of nudity. Ten years later, a brief attempt to allow some nude beaches in LA Country was soon halted. If the publicity allowed much of an art career for Seemayer, who otherwise worked as a paralegal, it doesn't seem to have amounted to much; and, sadly, with many other noteable people, 2017 was the year of her death.

I was 16 at the time of the appearance of the Pink Lady, and I didn't have a car to go see the painting during its brief existence of less than a week. But the impression lingers, like an afterglow, or the warmth of a kiss.